Kenneth Branagh May Take Over For Mark Romanek On Disney’s Cinderella

It was a bummer when Mark Romanek left Disney’s upcoming live action remake/reboot/re-imagining of the classic fairy tale Cinderella, but it looks like the studio won’t have to downgrade to keep the production on its projected 2014 release schedule.

Vulture reports Kenneth Branagh is negotiating to take over directing duties and this seems like a great fit, perhaps even greater than Romanek, who reportedly left the project because his vision was deemed too “dark” for such a family-favorite tale.

Branagh certainly would bring a lighter touch to such a story, not to mention Shakespearean grandiosity, epic scale spectacles and gravitas to spare. If Branagh’s deal closes, filming is expected to begin on time in London this fall.

As for casting, which had just gotten underway under Romanek, Cate Blanchett is still on board to play Cinderella’s evil stepmother, while no Cinderella has been found yet. Last we heard, Saoirse Ronan, Alicia Vikander and Gabriella Wilde were all vying for the part, and with Blanchett staying on and now Branagh, we can’t imagine these actresses won’t be still just as eager to put on those glass slippers.

[Have a question for the entertainment experts at BC? Use the Ask BC form instead. Have a comics, film, games, or entertainment commentary that's too epic for a comment thread? Use BC Letters to the Editor.]